Fate and Destiny (The Fated Series, #2)

Chapter 86 - Katarina - Unwanted Guests

Last night was chaos.

Here I thought meeting King Rainier and Queen Edila would be fun, if not a little more joyous than the meeting we actually had. They weren't necessarily welcoming of Kalla and Víđarr despite Serephina previously telling them that the two myths existed and were as harmless as flies so long as they didn't threaten them. I think they just didn't like how powerless they are standing next to the elementals and their pets.

There was a lot of talking happening at a distance since the King and Queen of Corvina refused to allow anyone but their own to approach them. They didn't necessarily say those words directly, but it was easy enough to tell that they didn't want to be near us. So we kept our distance, Serephina playing messenger throughout the night when their royal pains in the asses had questions - and they always had questions.

I feel bad for the immortal woman, seeing as she's clearly tired and regretting ever agreeing to go to the kingdom in the first place.

It took hours before Darius and Clare gave up and decided their time was better spent training. So they trained while the others made camp but didn't quite settle. King Rainier disappeared inside his rather large tent, but Queen Edila stood outside, watching everyone train.

They didn't take the food we offered to share. Instead, they snapped their fingers for a servant to instantly respond to with a large platter of various servings. The poor servant boy looked rougher than a stable hand. His body was so skinny that I could see the definition of his bones, and yet he ran to their summons with enough energy to get me through another cycle of this shit. I didn't regret finding Víđarr and asking him to take some bread and a chunk of the deer the Bhaltayr had hunted and brought back in the middle of the night when the King and Queen were asleep. The royals didn't notice, and when I woke this morning and peeked over at him, Clare came up beside me and told me that Víđarr slept with the boy through the night and kept him warm against the cold. I thanked her and the wolf, feeling a little bit better that we had at least gotten through to someone.

The King and Queen of Corvina wanted to leave as soon as possible, but Darius respectfully declined their rather bland invitation to join them, explaining that we'd leave in a few hours and arrive at midnight. King Rainier didn't take kind to the decision. He thought we were sending him to a trap, staying behind to escape whatever ridiculous scenario his large head came up with. It was another thirty minutes of a formal worded argument before Queen Edila made the decision that they would wait to leave with us. Despite Darius and Clarice's smiles, I could tell no one was necessarily excited for their extended company.

It's a real shame that we kind of need them. Otherwise, I don't think Víđarr would've been napping nor Kalla taking up a quiet perch on Melody. The Bhaltayr, Ginerva, Darius, Lance, and Clare left the royals to train again. They've been at it for an hour now, their anger being worked out in their quick movements.

I've kept my hands busy with slowly packing everything of ours up, getting saddlebags on their horses, and tending to the horses themselves, ensuring that they're ready for the last trek of our journey. I'm currently sewing up a torn bag, easily slipping the needle and thread through the fabric to mend it. Víđarr lays beneath me, having done so so that I may sit for a little while. Kalla ended up curled up on his back too, her beak tucked beneath her wing as she sleeps. I keep glancing over at how cute she looks all curled up.

I look down at her and Víđarr, smiling at how peaceful they look when one small noise could have him turning feral and her growing ten times her current size to set everything on fire. They are just so darn cute.

"Do they always train so often?" I jump at the sound of the voice, nearly stabbing myself with the needle. My movement had Víđarr's head shooting up, making the Queen who snuck up on me jump herself. I put a hand on his side and he goes back to his nap.